Hangzhou fits qipao into global branding campaign

The Hangzhou Tourism Commission is incorporating the qipao into its “F Plan” — with the “F” standing for fashion, fans, friendship, fine arts, folk, flights and fairs — an international city branding project aimed at European and American markets.

The 2019 Hangzhou Global Qipao Festival, which kicked off in June, has already hosted a dress design competition, fashion shows and a number of activities in France, Italy, Austria and Africa.

By September 4, online exposure of the festival had reached 130 million hits and 390,000 interactive reviews on social media.

Special events at Prague Square, Czech Republic, at the United Nations in Vienna, on Tower Bridge in London and in Verona, Italy, have seen women clad in qipao come together in music, dance and poetry readings.

In addition, pop-up activities were hosted in Australia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Bulgaria and Djibouti, in a bid to promote Hangzhou and the qipao under the Belt and Road Initiative.

In these overseas activities, more than 4,500 types of silk and embroidery were used to design qipao. Traditional Chinese motifs were integrated with modern patterns, creating a vintage style with chic characteristics.

This month, the festival switches focus from overseas markets to Hangzhou City. On September 21, fashion shows took place at City Balcony, West Lake, the Grand Canal, Liangzhu Museum, Xixi Wetland and Yishang Town.

Students from local schools and women from universities and government departments will also put on qipao-themed performances to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the People’s Republic of China.

The commission’s qipao design competition has attracted entries from home and abroad. On September 29, the China Silk Museum will use 3D multimedia technology to create a virtual backdrop for exhibiting prize-winning qipao.

Hangzhou, one of the birthplaces of silk, started producing the material around 5,000 years ago. The city’s ample silk provides local craftspeople with abundant materials for qipao, a body-hugging one-piece dress which is considered the ideal expression of Chinese femininity.